1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door opening/closing hinge device which can provide a wide passenger space (a space through which passengers get in or out of an automotive vehicle), in particular, immediately after a door of an automotive vehicle has been opened, on the basis of a link mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Japanese Utility Model Kokoku-publication No. 58-36766 discloses a door hinge device for automatic vehicles of this type as shown in FIG. 1. In the drawing, the reference numeral 1 denotes a bracket fixed to a vehicle body pillar and 5 denotes another bracket fixed to a vehicle door. The former bracket 1 and links 2, 3 and 4 are pivotably connected to each other by pins 22, 32, 42 and 43 so as to form a parallel link mechanism. Further, the latter bracket 5 is pivotably connected to the links 3 and 4 by a connecting pin 43. The bracket 5 is provided with a fixed guide pin 55 slidably connected to a slot 25 formed of an extension end of the link 2.
In this door hinge for an automotive vehicle, when a door A is moved in the door opening direction, the pin 43 of the bracket 5 is moved to a position 43' along a circular arc with the link 3 as its radius, and additionally the link 2 connected to the link 4 by the pin 42 is also moved together, so that the parallel link mechanism is pivoted counterclockwise. In this movement, the bracket 5 is provoted together about the pin 43 on the basis of the connection relationship between the guide slot 25 and the guide pin 55.
In dependence upon the above operation, the door A is initially swung open in the frontward and outward directions according to the curve of the slot 25 to a half open position A' while keeping the passenger getting in-and-out space wide at passenger's feet. When being further opened, the door A is pivoted about the pin 43' to the full open position A".